Conventional electronic device processing systems may include multiple process chambers and one or more load lock chambers surrounding a transfer chamber. These systems may employ a transfer robot that may be housed within the transfer chamber and which is adapted to transport substrates between the various process chambers and one or more load lock chambers.
Conventional load locks include a load lock body and a load lock chamber, a load lock entry into the load lock chamber that is accessed from, for example, a factory interface by a factory interface robot on a factory side of the load lock, and a load lock exit coupled to the transfer chamber. Substrates (e.g., semiconductor wafers) may be placed into and also exit from the load lock chamber through the entry by action of the factory interface robot. Likewise, substrates may enter and exit the transfer chamber through the load lock exit by action of the transfer chamber robot.
Conventional load lock apparatus include an entry load lock door assembly operative with the load lock entry, and an exit load lock door assembly operative with the load lock exit. Such load lock door assemblies may be subject to particle contamination in existing configurations. Moreover, such load lock doors of such assemblies may be difficult to open, and, thus relatively high opening force capability may be provided.
Accordingly, improved load lock door assemblies, load lock apparatus, electronic device processing systems, and methods enabling reduced contamination and/or easier load lock door opening are desired.